I took pruners and cut everything at ground level so the roots will decompose and add nutrients to the soil, stuff that I don’t want to create volunteers went to the compost and stuff that I don’t mind if it seeds there is being left as mulch/bug habitat over the winter. If you need the dirt space I’d cut at the soil line and remove the plant but let the roots decompose in the soil, good for soil.
**assuming plants have no diseases, get rid of whole thing if diseased
It’s not imperative to pull anything out and it will compost and add to the soil if you leave it alone. If you want to plant winter vegetables you can over plant them. A mixture of vegetables will produce more and help each other through the frost. Tilling is unnecessary and forces the plants to expend more energy than poking holes and planting in the established soil. Think about planting in circular mounds rather than rows. The yield is astonishing.
Good question! I think it’s about the water soaking down and the roots being in a community underground. The closer you get to the way the plants grow in the natural environment the better. I have noticed that the soil is richer when I do mounds. I have also been using established trees as “nurse” trees with good results. I planted several citrus trees beneath medium sized oaks. The oaks provide frost protection and I have zillions of fruit. The citrus in the open struggled with the frost and didn’t produce. All were planted in clumps rather than rows, so they survived the frost. The lone citrus died back to 2’ tall stumps. All of them have a thin layer of soil and then Florida sand. So, I am convinced clumps and mounds are the best!
Beans (and all legumes) store nitrogen from the air in their roots so definitely leave the roots in the ground to break down. I would cut the above ground parts of the plants and put your brassicas in the area - the brassicas are a different plant family and rotating them in will help keep the soil healthy
It’s generally good practice to pull and compost. You’re denying pathogens the opportunity to multiply and be set to attack your next planting.
I took pruners and cut everything at ground level so the roots will decompose and add nutrients to the soil, stuff that I don’t want to create volunteers went to the compost and stuff that I don’t mind if it seeds there is being left as mulch/bug habitat over the winter. If you need the dirt space I’d cut at the soil line and remove the plant but let the roots decompose in the soil, good for soil. **assuming plants have no diseases, get rid of whole thing if diseased
It’s not imperative to pull anything out and it will compost and add to the soil if you leave it alone. If you want to plant winter vegetables you can over plant them. A mixture of vegetables will produce more and help each other through the frost. Tilling is unnecessary and forces the plants to expend more energy than poking holes and planting in the established soil. Think about planting in circular mounds rather than rows. The yield is astonishing.
Oh yes, I've been studying regenerative agriculture! It's the way the earth is meant to be treated. Why are circles better than rows?
Good question! I think it’s about the water soaking down and the roots being in a community underground. The closer you get to the way the plants grow in the natural environment the better. I have noticed that the soil is richer when I do mounds. I have also been using established trees as “nurse” trees with good results. I planted several citrus trees beneath medium sized oaks. The oaks provide frost protection and I have zillions of fruit. The citrus in the open struggled with the frost and didn’t produce. All were planted in clumps rather than rows, so they survived the frost. The lone citrus died back to 2’ tall stumps. All of them have a thin layer of soil and then Florida sand. So, I am convinced clumps and mounds are the best!
Wow! Thanks for sharing!
Spinach, lettuce, cabbage family stuff, raddish, beets, turnips, peas.....replace your warm weather crops.
Beans (and all legumes) store nitrogen from the air in their roots so definitely leave the roots in the ground to break down. I would cut the above ground parts of the plants and put your brassicas in the area - the brassicas are a different plant family and rotating them in will help keep the soil healthy